Starbucks is going to try out a mobile order-only store

(Author : Darrell Etherington)Starbucks introduced its mobile ordering system in 2015, and it’s been a victim of its own success in some ways.

Customers at popular spots are eager to use the mobile ordering system to choose their selection and pay in advance, in the hopes of avoiding a line – but they’re having to wait anyway, thanks to a virtual queue that’s as large or larger than the real one, depending on the spot. Now, it’s looking for ways to make mobile ordering work better, and in pursuit of that goal it’s going to trial a location that exclusively serves mobile order customers, within its own Seattle HQ.

The location will go mobile-only starting next week, Reuters reports, turning one of the Seattle-based company’s two internal cafes into a dedicated mobile order and pay location. All mobile orders from building employees, which include 5,000 people, will be routed to the new location, and it’ll feature a different design, with a prominent pick-up window that also offers a view to baristas preparing the orders, according to the report.

Starbucks added the order ahead and pick-up option to its app across the U.S. in September, 2015, and it’s been a popular feature among users since. The feature allows users to browse the Starbucks menu within the app, select a location, and pay for their order ahead of time, receiving an estimate about when it’ll be ready to pick up. Depending on the location, the order will then be left at a designated pick-up location, or called out by a barista for pick-up like orders made in-store.